Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) has begun processing low-level radioactive water and spraying it over the compound of the crippled Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant to prevent fires and the scattering of radioactive dust, the utility announced on Oct. 7.

The water comes from the plant’s No. 5 and No. 6 reactors, which remain in a state of a cold shutdown, and is being used after the removal of radioactive materials and salt content.

The move is aimed at preventing trees felled on the plant compound from catching fire and dust containing radioactive materials from scattering, the utility said. A daily amount of 100 cubic meters of water will be sprayed over the ground.

Since the March 11 quake and tsunami, seawater from the tsunami and rainwater have been accumulating in the basement of the reactor buildings and turbine buildings of the No. 5 and No. 6 reactors. Makeshift tanks and an artificial floating island, or “megafloat,” have so far accommodated 17,000 cubic meters of this water but they are close to overflowing. TEPCO aims to utilize the remaining water, after it has been purified, to spray the compound.

The measure has been approved by the Fukushima Prefectural Government and municipalities in Fukushima and Ibaraki prefectures, according to TEPCO.